Wildlife

African wild dog

African wild dogs form packs of up to 40 members, each with a dominant breeding pair, that remain monogamous for life. These gregarious animals are co-operative hunters, relying on sight rather than smell to pinpoint their prey. Hunts tend to occur at dawn and dusk, but on occasion the dogs will venture out if there is a full moon. They chase until their prey tires, reaching speeds up to 55 kmph, and sometimes disemboweling prey it while it is still running.

Dawn to Dusk

Dawn to Dusk

A first glimpse of the latest litter of pups at the wild dog den.

The beautiful African wild dog is rarely seen, even in areas where they do survive. Having disappeared from much of their former range wild dogs are now found in their greatest numbers in Southern Africa and there may be only 3,000-5,000 free-ranging individuals left on the whole continent. They are now legally protected across much of their range, but this protection is rarely enforced and wild dogs continue to decline in many areas as a result of ongoing conflict with humans and the challenges resulting from habitat fragmentation and infectious diseases.

The Trials of Life

Planet Earth

An aerial perspective gives insight into the technique of African hunting dogs.

It's impossible to follow a wild dog hunt at ground level through the treacherous swamplands of the Okavango. Using the helicopter-mounted camera, the crew managed to capture the entire hunt from the air. The high definition camera meant they could film from far enough above the dogs and their prey not to give alarm and interfere with the natural action.

Video collections

One third of known species are under threat - do they have more than a future on film? We've unearthed footage of some remarkable animals, plants and habitats that are facing an imminent threat to their survival.